


Nine Christmases

by Zoloto



Category: Little Nightmares (Video Game)
Genre: A Christmas Carol AU!, Also Known as: SIX NEEDS TO BE A NICER PERSON, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dips into Six’s tragic past a bit too, F/M, Gen, RK is named Hadrian, Raincoat Girl is named Phoebe, these are hc names I have for them so yep
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:27:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28189935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoloto/pseuds/Zoloto
Summary: After finding a hidden community of kids who’ve banded together to live their lives and fight back, Mono thinks he and his friends have it made. But winter’s chill and Six’s perpetually sour mood means that there’s more at stake than a chilly frost hovering in the air. Can Six make things right before the clock strikes twelve on Christmas Eve?
Relationships: Mono & The Runaway Kid & Six (Little Nightmares), Six & Everyone
Comments: 10
Kudos: 38





	Nine Christmases

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh this fic is going to be angsty, but not overbearingly so. It’s about love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Not only of others, but of yourself. I really wanted to write it, and you will be seeing frequent updates for this one. I hope you enjoy it!

Soft flakes flitted down and around from the gray sky above. A frosty drop in temperature alongside this indicates that the planet they live on has shifted into its winter cycle— Mono therefore is prompted to secure warmer clothes for himself and Six the next time he goes exploring on his lonesome, although he has yet to notice or acknowledge that the biting chill isn’t _just_ in the air.

He went alone, braving the wind and the cold in search of more protective garments, to spare Six and her bare legs from the torment of the weather conditions. Thankfully she had no objections to this arrangement; normally Six hounded him to take her with him on trips like this, but ever since the snow fell and winter began, her more pushy, forceful nature had almost seemed to soften. She’d backed off considerably, lessening her whining and shoving at him to allow her to accompany him. This made it easier for Mono to focus on the task at hand — and with Mono being Mono, he’d succeeded.

Unsurprisingly, though, seeing as there’s kids outside their new community showing up dead for one of two reasons (either succumbing to the elements or being targeted by Frost-Chasers), there are plenty of “warmer” clothes to go around. And Mono set to taking some home on a small sled that he could pull behind him on one such day. 

“Six?” He called expectantly, entering their new home with his prizes in tow. “C’mere, Six, I’ve found some stuff! You’ve gotta see this!”

He did find her. Curled up close to the fire in their living room. They’d been lucky enough to find a reasonable home with a fireplace like this when they did, that was for sure! When the nights had grown longer and colder some weeks ago, not even their heaviest blankets could keep out the chill. Mono, knowing of their peril should they not act fast, resolved that they would find a heat source the next day. And they’d found firewood in an abandoned house’s shed, buried deep under some other mishmash items after almost a whole day of searching.

It had taken most of Six’s energy, expended from her shadows, to move several pieces of wood at a time from Point A to the house multiple times. The sheer force of will alone had exhausted her. And she had fallen asleep then much like she was now, curled up in front of the flames keeping their space nice and toasty.

“Six,” Mono tried again, gentler, and leaned to shake at her shoulder. “I found us some warm clothes! And some boots, would you believe it?! Now we can _both_ go outside and properly get ourselves food!”

The girl scrunched her face up, as if in contemplation. While Mono gestured excitedly to his much-needed treasures, Six crawled closer just a bit in her curiosity. She observed, and she poked around in the clothes pile, she even rubbed her hands experimentally up and down her legs in her long thought process. But at the end of it all, she uh.

She didn’t look happy. 

“What’s wrong?” Mono asked carefully, alarm bells going off like crazy in his head. The worry streaked through his heart like a cold blade. “This is a good thing, Six… Now you can join me and the others outside! I-I tried to get some stuff I thought we would like, but if the–“

 _“Why bother..?”_ Six growled, low and sort of hoarse. _“It’s too cold and too slippery, and anyone out there playing outside is an IDIOT, Mono. You’re not an idiot. Why do you even bother with any of them? They’d sooner risk your life than care for you! It isn’t worth it!”_

She stalked back to the fire, licking her wounds. Mono sighed. He waited a few moments, then, before approaching her again. But when he did, he rested his hands on her shoulders from behind. Six bowed her head, but Mono wasn’t there to scold her. Quite the contrary.

“They’re other kids, Six,” he whispered. “They’re nice. And they ask me and Hadrian all the time why you never come out to join us..”

That was certainly true. With the drop in temperature, there had been a significant increase in outside kids joining the group population in the area. They had similar ideas to Mono and Six, these being keeping warm and staying safe, and they weren’t threats. But for whatever reason, Six had never quite taken to them. She’d always been polite and a tad friendly at times, but… when it came down to actual interaction, Six largely seemed to prefer it only being herself, Hadrian (a nice boy in a blue shirt and ankle shackle they’d met on the Maw), and Mono. Nobody else.

This, naturally, had been concerning to him from the start. Six had never been outright hostile to other children who weren’t her two favorites, but she’d always maintained kind of a frosty silence towards them. She’d fled when they approached, and hid until they left. Only Mono and Hadrian got to see her sweeter, kinder, playful side. And this new development had been a source of concern for both boys ever since. It all boiled down to the unspoken trauma Six retained, be it from the Maw or wherever else she’d been in her short life.

Six did not answer what he’d said, though, so Mono continued. “I’m sorry if I seem pushy about this, Six, I just… you seem so unhappy lately. And you’re in here by yourself all alone when we go out to hang out with the others. Wouldn’t you rather be with _us?_ Together?”

Finally, she cracked. Six slumped against his hold, and she clung to his jacket. Mono could feel her grip tightening.

 _“That’s exactly what I mean. Us. You, me, and Hadrian. I don’t NEED anybody else to try and fail to make me happy… I just want you two..”_ she paused. _“I’m sorry. I don’t like the winter, and I don’t like how it forces people who don’t know each other together. It’s always been uncomfortable for me, Mono. I never liked it.”_

“Six-“ Mono stammered. His reply was cut short, however, by the arrival of none other than their third musketeer himself! Hadrian, who’d already been gifted some warmer amenities from the outside kids. He’d been first to befriend them before Mono, and thus had a decent rapport with them. 

“Did we find some more SUPPLIES FOR WINTER, Mono?!” He squeaked excitedly, bouncing over to them after shutting the door. 

“We did! Well, I did, anyways. Six didn’t want to come, and I can’t really blame her,” Mono nodded, but shuddered at the sight of Six’s bare legs. Hadrian nodded.

“I wouldn’t have wanted to go if I hadn’t found a pair of shoes, either. It’s too cold outside for her to risk it in that getup. Were your guys’ days okay otherwise?” The other boy whispered, trying not to sound insensitive to her plight. For whatever reason, though, Six turned around with an uncharacteristically cheery grin on her face. And she chimed in with a voice both of them knew well by now to be faked. 

_“Oh, yes! Mine was perfectly great! It would have been better if you’d both stayed home with me rather than risking your lives for people you barely know, but hey, what do I know?! Heh, right?”_ And then she laughed. A lilting, empty sound that went on for several seconds and seemed to hang in the air awkwardly long after she finished.

Silence was her only response. Was it cabin fever? Was she ill or delirious? Six hadn’t seemed sick when they left, but who knew nowadays? Mono and Hadrian exchanged a worried look. Both their gazes landed on Six, who looked innocently up at her two friends like she wasn’t sure what had happened.

“Maybe we should see to some dinner..” Mono murmured apprehensively. 

* * *

Some time later the trio sat around their dinner table. For Mono and Hadrian, some freshly caught and roasted rabbits. For Six, a severed adult’s arm. Since she refused to brave the outside in this weather it only made sense that she wasn’t eating as well as she usually did. Mono and Hadrian had to pick her food for her. But that was her own fault. Six acknowledged that it was. And she was determined to die on this hill. 

Of course then, the topic of current events came up in their minimal conversations. In particular, about how they’re settling in this new place. And what they’re going to do about the upcoming holidays. Christmas was only eleven days away— and none of them had really gotten to talking about it until this very moment.

“We celebrated Christmas before my mother.. Well, you know,” Mono spoke softly. “What about the others? Do they have plans?”

“Well, uh-“ Hadrian started, his gaze swishing from Mono to the sullen Six. “They’re planning a group get-together ON Christmas next week. And they want all of us to come to it.”

“ _All_ of us?” Mono asked. 

Hadrian nodded. “Yep. ALL of us. They want to meet Six officially. Spend time with her. They’ve been asking about her for some time.”

 _“No.”_ Six said solidly. _“You know I don’t trust any of them. If we do ANYTHING for Christmas, it HAS to be just us. Only us three. Nothing else.”_

“Six, it’s not fair to make calls like that without us all talking it through,” Mono scolded gently. “We have to work as a team. And that means discussing things like this all together.”

Six herself huffed a bit, but sat back in her chair without any further word. Mono almost wished Hadrian hadn’t said anything to start off, though, because there was another subject he knew Six wasn’t keen on breaching. 

And like the world’s most colossal idiot, Hadrian brought it up without reading the room. 

“Plus, Six, uh… I kind of… Told them your birthday was coming up tomorrow,” the boy tried to soften his words, but Mono wanted to scream. Six’s deep blue eyes widened in her initial surprise, but they _narrowed_ once the full extent of his actions had dawned on her.

Six was livid. One look at her, and steam might as well have been coming out of her ears.

“I didn’t, er, I didn’t do it to put you on the spot, Six! I just-“

 _“Are you SERIOUS right now?!”_ The girl growled. Her tiny fists slammed against their table, making the minor silverware tremble. _“You told them I’d be there and now we’re celebrating THAT day with people I don’t even know? Why the FUCK would you ever think doing that would be okay?!?”_

This was the most animated either boy had seen the girl. So furious, and the look on her face _radiated_ death. They’d have turned to stone right then and there if she had the power to will it.

“I was only thinking of you..” Hadrian sighed. “You’re always inside, you don’t talk to anyone but us, and even then you’ve been pushing Mono and I away lately.. I just wanted you to be surrounded by people who care about you on your birthday..”

 _“Well, don’t,”_ Six snapped. _“Because all I wanted was you guys. None of these FREAKS who’ll only end up picking at me, and making fun of me, and ruining every-“_

“ENOUGH!!!” Mono’s interruption stopped Six’s rant dead in its tracks. “Okay, you know what? Fine. Maybe Hadrian telling them about your birthday wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but guess what, Six? I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing.”

Six was silent. Mono had always been a gentle guidance in her life. Not… Not whatever this was.

“Ever since we arrived here you’ve been closed off to everything and everyone who’s even shown an ounce of interest in you, Six… It’s like they’re guilty until proven innocent with you! The adults I could understand, but they’re kids. They won’t harm you, and you know damn well that I would nip it in the bud right then and there if any of ‘em so much as tried.” Mono was veeeery slowly calming down, but his tone hadn’t shifted from being serious. 

_“You don’t know that..”_ Six mumbled. 

“No, I don’t. But I know them, at least a little, which is more than I can say for you. You don’t even bother to give it a chance. Come on, Hadrian…” Mono stood.

The other boy, who hadn’t said a word during Mono’s outburst, sheepishly rose from the table to follow the older boy out of the room. 

“You think you’re very grown-up.. But you still have a great deal to learn..” Mono finished coldly as he walked past, leaving Six alone with her bitterness.

It took her a moment to process what had just happened, but when she did, Six’s eyes welled up with hot, angry tears. In her embarrassment she pushed back from the table, and stomped over to slam the door harshly behind them. From somewhere deep inside of her, the small girl could feel a huge sob welling up. 

But this time, Six was determined to keep her feelings hidden deep within her heart of stone. Where nobody, not even her only two friends in the world, could access them.

Like clockwork she stormed to the stairs, jerking her hood harshly over her head to hide herself away. Six was going to bed now, and nobody could stop her.

Perhaps if she’d paid attention, though, she’d have felt the sudden rush of cold air that passed her as she retreated upstairs. Or if she’d only looked, she might have seen the ghostly face — the one with its piercing blue eyes — watching her from the tall mirror at the end of the long hallway.


End file.
